notebooklm-skill

<div align="center"> # NotebookLM Claude Code Skill **Let [Claude Code](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code) chat directly with NotebookLM for source-grounded answers based exclusively on your uploaded documents** [](https://www.python.org/) [](https://www.anthropic.com/news/skills) [](https://github.com/PleasePrompto/notebooklm-mcp) [](https://github.com/PleasePrompto/notebooklm-skill) > Use this skill to query your Google NotebookLM notebooks directly from Claude Code for source-grounded, citation-backed answers from Gemini. Browser automation, library management, persistent auth. Drastically reduced hallucinations - answers only from your uploaded documents. [Installation](#installation) • [Quick Start](#quick-start) • [Why NotebookLM](#why-notebooklm-not-local-rag) • [How It Works](#how-it-works) • [MCP Alternative](https://github.com/PleasePrompto/notebooklm-mcp) </div> --- ## ⚠️ Important: Local Claude Code Only **This skill works ONLY with local [Claude Code](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code) installations, NOT in the web UI.** The web UI runs skills in a sandbox without network access, which this skill requires for browser automation. You must use [Claude Code](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code) locally on your machine. --- ## The Problem When you tell [Claude Code](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code) to "search through my local documentation", here's what happens: - **Massive token consumption**: Searching through documentation means reading multiple files repeatedly - **Inaccurate retrieval**: Searches for keywords, misses context and connections between docs - **Hallucinations**: When it can't find something, it invents plausible-sounding APIs - **Manual copy-paste**: Switching between NotebookLM browser and your editor constantly ## The Solution This Claude Code Skill lets [Claude Code](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code) chat directly with [**NotebookLM**](https://notebooklm.google/) — Google's **source-grounded knowledge base** powered by Gemini 2.5 that provides intelligent, synthesized answers exclusively from your uploaded documents. ``` Your Task → Claude asks NotebookLM → Gemini synthesizes answer → Claude writes correct code ``` **No more copy-paste dance**: Claude asks questions directly and gets answers straight back in the CLI. It builds deep understanding through automatic follow-ups, getting specific implementation details, edge cases, and best practices. --- ## Why NotebookLM, Not Local RAG? | Approach | Token Cost | Setup Time | Hallucinations | Answer Quality | |----------|------------|------------|----------------|----------------| | **Feed docs to Claude** | 🔴 Very high (multiple file reads) | Instant | Yes - fills gaps | Variable retrieval | | **Web search** | 🟡 Medium | Instant | High - unreliable sources | Hit or miss | | **Local RAG** | 🟡 Medium-High | Hours (embeddings, chunking) | Medium - retrieval gaps | Depends on setup | | **NotebookLM Skill** | 🟢 Minimal | 5 minutes | **Minimal** - source-grounded only | Expert synthesis | ### What Makes NotebookLM Superior? 1. **Pre-processed by Gemini**: Upload docs once, get instant expert knowledge 2. **Natural language Q&A**: Not just retrieval — actual understanding and synthesis 3. **Multi-source correlation**: Connects information across 50+ documents 4. **Citation-backed**: Every answer includes source references 5. **No infrastructure**: No vector DBs, embeddings, or chunking strategies needed --- ## Installation ### The simplest installation ever: ```bash # 1. Create skills directory (if it doesn't exist) mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills # 2. Clone this repository cd ~/.claude/skills git clone https://github.com/PleasePrompto/notebooklm-skill notebooklm # 3. That's it! Open Claude Code and say: "What are my skills?" ``` When you first use the skill, it automatically: - Creates an isolated Python environment (`.venv`) - Installs all dependencies including **Google Chrome** - Sets up browser automation with Chrome (not Chromium) for maximum reliability - Everything stays contained in the skill folder **Note:** The setup uses real Chrome instead of Chromium for cross-platform reliability, consistent browser fingerprinting, and better anti-detection with Google services --- ## Quick Start ### 1. Check your skills Say in Claude Code: ``` "What skills do I have?" ``` Claude will list your available skills including NotebookLM. ### 2. Authenticate with Google (one-time) ``` "Set up NotebookLM authentication" ``` *A Chrome window opens → log in with your Google account* ### 3. Create your knowledge base Go to [notebooklm.google.com](https://notebooklm.google.com) → Create notebook → Upload your docs: - 📄 PDFs, Google Docs, markdown files - 🔗 Websites, GitHub repos - 🎥 YouTube videos - 📚 Multiple sources per notebook Share: **⚙️ Share → Anyone with link → Copy** ### 4. Add to your library **Option A: Let Claude figure it out (Smart Add)** ``` "Query this notebook about its content and add it to my library: [your-link]" ``` Claude will automatically query the notebook to discover its content, then add it with appropriate metadata. **Option B: Manual add** ``` "Add this NotebookLM to my library: [your-link]" ``` Claude will ask for a name and topics, then save it for future use. ### 5. Start researching ``` "What does my React docs say about hooks?" ``` Claude automatically selects the right notebook and gets the answer directly from NotebookLM. --- ## How It Works This is a **Claude Code Skill** - a local folder containing instructions and scripts that Claude Code can use when needed. Unlike the [MCP server version](https://github.com/PleasePrompto/notebooklm-mcp), this runs directly in Claude Code without needing a separate server. ### Key Differences from MCP Server | Feature | This Skill | MCP Server | |---------|------------|------------| | **Protocol** | Claude Skills | Model Context Protocol | | **Installation** | Clone to `~/.claude/skills` | `claude mcp add ...` | | **Sessions** | Fresh browser each question | Persistent chat sessions | | **Compatibility** | Claude Code only (local) | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, etc. | | **Language** | Python | TypeScript | | **Distribution** | Git clone | npm package | ### Architecture ``` ~/.claude/skills/notebooklm/ ├── SKILL.md # Instructions for Claude ├── scripts/ # Python automation scripts │ ├── ask_question.py # Query NotebookLM │ ├── notebook_manager.py # Library management │ └── auth_manager.py # Google authentication ├── .venv/ # Isolated Python environment (auto-created) └── data/ # Local notebook library ``` When you mention NotebookLM or send a notebook URL, Claude: 1. Loads the skill instructions 2. Runs the appropriate Python script 3. Opens a browser, asks your question 4. Returns the answer directly to you 5. Uses that knowledge to help with your task --- ## Core Features ### **Source-Grounded Responses** NotebookLM significantly reduces hallucinations by answering exclusively from your uploaded documents. If information isn't available, it indicates uncertainty rather than inventing content. ### **Direct Integration** No copy-paste between browser and editor. Claude asks and receives answers programmatically. ### **Smart Library Management** Save NotebookLM links with tags and descriptions. Claude auto-selects the right notebook for your task. ### **Automatic Authentication** One-time Google login, then authentication persists across sessions. ### **Self-Contained** Everything runs in the skill folder with an isolated Python environment. No globa